#like how���re they gonna understand my little creature noises and mannerisms???

[wordstrings]

of sleep-warm skin and love requited

Written and submitted by @delicategoblin:

OK IM OFFICIALLY TERRIFIED BUT IVE EDITED THE ABSOLUTE SHIT OUT OF THIS AND I CANT FIND ANYTHING ELSE TO CHANGE SO UHHHHH HERE WE GO. uhhhh you don’t need to anonymize it I’m g with having my actual blog on here i’m just ,,, f r e a k i n g o u t . thank you again for this opportunity though cause i never would have done this otherwise,,,,also it’s kinda cringe i know but i’m fragile ok i needed the Bois being soft

Publisher’s note: The first official fic of I Fixed/Fic’d It: A Supernatural Fluffsgiving Event! I absolutely love this and it’s exactly what my heart needed.

Words: 1,700

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of sleep-warm skin and love requited

Soft puffs of warm air blew onto his chest, it blew the fine hairs that grew there against their follicles. It was an annoying, tickling sensation that made it feel like there was a bug crawling on him. He didn’t move, though, or adjust the sleeping hunter in his arms. It served as a grounding sensation, a reminder that the warm body lying next to him was just that; warm, breathing, alive.

“I c’n feel you look’n at me weird.” Dean’s sleepy voice cut through the gentle silence that hung around them. One sleepy green eye cracked open and he shifted, wrapping his arms around Castiel’s bare torso tighter and burying his nose into his sternum.

“I was admiring you,” Castiel protested indignantly and smiled at the muffled embarrassed noise Dean made against him.

“Less admiring, more sleeping.” He grumbled, and pressed a placating kiss to Cas’s throat. Castiel let out a contented hum and let his fingers glide up Dean’s muscled back, feather-light, and up to the nape of his neck.

“Quit it.” Dean shuddered and fell back onto the mattress with a bleary-eyed glare. Castiel shifted onto his side and smoothed his thumb over the crease in Dean’s forehead that resulted from his affronted expression. Dean didn’t comply with his silent request, and it was Cas’s turn to frown. He leaned down and pressed a tiny chaste kiss to the wrinkle, Dean just shied away and huffed.

“Dean,” Castiel squinted at the stubborn man beside him, who stuck his tongue out and made a point to draw his eyebrows even further - the crease became more prominent. Cas could almost laugh, but this was a challenge. A challenge he didn’t intend to back down from.

“Cas,” He mocked, pulling a face.

Oh, so that’s how it was.

Gears in Castiel’s head were turning, but before they could even quite slot into place, he was on top of Dean, pinning him to the mattress with his weight. Dean’s eyes widened, no longer half-shut with the remnants of sleep, and he sucked in a breath. Pupils blown wide, and Castiel grinned. Dean had a very wrong idea of what was about to happen.

“Dean, you’re very stubborn.”

Dean smirked and waggled his eyebrows, before quickly returning to his previous expression, complete with his arms crossed across his chest.

“Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?”

Castiel hummed as if he were deep in thought, tracing his index finger from Dean’s collarbone to his sternum. Dean cringed and pushed himself back into the mattress.

“Me? Well, I’m going to knock you down a peg or two, in a manner of speaking.” Castiel purred, resting all ten of his fingertips on his ribs, a salacious grin on his face.

“You, on the other hand,” He continued, gliding his hands down to rest at Dean’s sides. “You’re going to smile for me.”

Dean barely had time to swallow nervously before his senses were set alight by tingling, buzzing electricity. He bit his lip and squirmed, grappling with Castiel’s flitting hands.

“C-Cas, c-c’moHAH. Nonono, c’mohon man, this shit’s for kIDS.” His voice raised an octave when the ex-angel who was enjoying this way too much dug his infuriatingly skilled fingers into his tummy.

It took less than three minutes for Dean to be lost to laughter, punctured by the occasional ‘No!��� or ‘Cas!’ and things that were definitely not shrieks when his attacker got to a bad spot.

Cas, the bastard, was watching him with a big stupid smile on his face. It was so wide and genuine Dean couldn’t even find it in himself to be mad when he caught glimpses of his face amidst his thrashing.

“Cas! Cas, it’s like 4 am, stoho- nahaha CAHAHAS NOT THERE, YOUSONUVABIHIHITCH.” Dean cackled and threw his head back with laughter as Castiel’s hands shot into his armpits, he convulsed and clamped his arms down as hard as he could. Nothing could deter Cas’s determined digits.

When Dean’s breathing started sounding labored, Castiel retreated his hands and took to scritching at Dean’s lower belly. Tickling there, just above his waist-band, was the closest thing to giggling he thought Dean Winchester was capable of. His other hand, bored and itching to roam the squirming body beneath him, cupped Dean’s other side and stroked the skin there. There was another layer of squirming away added to Dean’s half-hearted struggle.

“Caaaas, quihihit playing with my chubby spots.” He whined through bubbling laughter. It was innocent enough, but Castiel knew this man well enough to tell the difference between a joke and genuine insecurity.

Castiel pursed his lips and abandoned his tickling, leaning forward to kiss the panting, red-faced mess. Dean was enthusiastic, cupping the back of Castiel’s head, meeting his kiss sloppily with an open mouth and obscene smacking sounds.

When Castiel pulled away, Dean’s hand kept him there; their faces just inches apart, noses brushing.

“You’re the single most beautiful creature in all of creation, Dean Winchester. Inside and out.” Castiel said firmly, cupping Dean’s jaw reverently and looking into his lover’s wide eyes. A faint blush dusted Dean’s cheeks and he dropped his gaze, shrugging, and grumbling. Cas used his hand to nudge Dean’s face back up and pressed kiss after kiss to Dean’s face. His forehead, each eyelid, his nose, his top, and bottom lip, and his chin.

“I’ve seen stars born,” Castiel murmured against his jaw, pressing another kiss to the stubbled skin.

“Galaxies formed,” Another kiss, this time to his neck, then his collarbone, then his sternum.

“Supernovas,” His chest, right over his heart.

“I witnessed the creation of the very first life forms,” His ribs.

“I’m older than time, older than this world, than the universe.” His diaphragm, his stomach, his hip.

“It’s you, Dean. Nothing I’ve ever seen, ever experienced, could ever hold a candle to you. I just wish you could see yourself the way I do.”

Dean sat completely still, watching Cas with twinkling eyes, he swallowed thickly and made to sit up, Cas climbed off him and Dean leaned forward, resting his head on Castiel’s shoulder.

“You mean that?” He whispered, taking Castiel’s hand and fiddling with his fingers. Castiel smiled and pressed a kiss to the crown of Dean’s head, nodding.

“Yes, Dean. I mean it.”

Castiel could hear the quiver in his breath when Dean inhaled deeply.

“That’s pretty gay, man.” He said shakily, pulling away from Castiel with a wobbly smile on his face.

“That it is. I’d venture to say what I’m about to say is gayer, though; I think your smile is especially beautiful. And your laugh.” Castiel added with a sly smile. Dean was quicker on the uptake, though, and before Cas could follow through on his plan, he found himself pinned to the mattress. Staring down a disgruntled Dean, who wasted no time in reaching behind him and kneading Castiel’s thighs.

He howled with laughter and grabbed blindly at Dean’s arms.

“DEAN! DEAN, STOHOHOP!” He bucked underneath the grinning man.

“You started it! And you were about to ambush me again.” He feigned offense, his words spoken around a laugh. His hands converged on Cas’s ribs and dug into the giggle-shriek-inducing spots between each bone.

Expertly, Dean took Castiel apart. Fingers seasoned with years of big-brother experience. His goal was to just tire Cas out to the point he wouldn’t be able to re-retaliate. Ten fingers scribbled across his belly and Cas was lost to giggles that Dean would never tire of hearing.

“Deheheannn, nahaha I’m sohOHORY!” He barely managed around an honest to god squeal that left his mouth when one of Dean’s curious fingers wiggled into his bellybutton.

“See, I just don’t think that’s true.” Dean tutted.

He could have continued on forever, sweet laughter and adorable attempts at an escape or a plea. But, now that Cas was human and oxygen was kind of a necessity, he made the mature decision (what can he say, falling in love changed him) to stop. He pulled away with a parting raspberry to the side of Cas’s neck, which made him shriek and jackknife under him.

“I didn’t bring you back from super hell just so you could tickle the shit out of me, you know,” Dean said, poking his hip. Cas flinched and rubbed a hand over his face, residual giggles still tumbling out of his mouth. He sighed and parted his fingers, peering up at Dean.

“Why did you bring me back, then?” He challenged. Dean glared down at him, but his gaze held no heat. Maybe some exasperation.

“You know why.”

Castiel pulled his hands away from his face and shrugged innocently.

“I don’t, actually.”

“I told you,” Dean huffed. Don’t ask why he was allowing himself to be swept up into Cas’s little game - maybe he liked it. Or maybe he felt guilty still.

“You told me lots of things - through wailing sobs, so it was hard to understand at times. Here; I’ll even make it easy for you. I love you…”

“I know,” Dean replied in a mocking, honeyed tone as he flopped back onto the mattress, pointedly shutting his eyes. Castiel let out a long-suffering sigh and lay back next to him, body curved around Dean’s; a perfect fit, like pieces of a puzzle slotting together. It was a shame Dean was being too much of a man-baby for Castiel to properly enjoy their compatibility and closeness at the moment.

“You’re impossible,” Cas murmured into the skin of Dean’s shoulder, reaching over to pinch at Dean’s waist. He curled away with a squeak that made Cas’s heart swell and grabbed his hands.

“No more tickling,” He pouted. The other man smiled fondly and pressed a kiss to Dean’s temple.

“No more tickling.” He agreed, nodding solemnly.

Then it was quiet again, peaceful. The soft sounds of Dean’s breaths were in sync with his own - the feeling of his heart beating was still alien to him, even though it wasn’t something he noted often.

“Hey, Cas?” Dean said quietly, fingering a mindless pattern on Castiel’s bicep, “I do. Love you, I mean.”

Castiel smiled and pressed his thumb gently into the give of Dean’s thigh, reveling in the softness, the warmth.

“I know.”

[hypnosisfreakrw]

Promise Returnal - We Meet- Entry 1

Icy white ears remained perked up above the towering fields of grass as involuntary whimpers and wheezes forced themselves from the small vixen's throat. The air's overpowering amount of smoke from the village was becoming far too unbearable to breathe in as she weaved and darted through the maze-like field, wincing when blades of long grass hit against her muzzle. Guttural words and taunts behind her were the only encouragement the vixen had to continue running as she had to get away from them. There was no safe haven for her anymore, for with no home, no shrine, and family. She would most likely meet her end such as the others had in the area. Fires from the town she had been running away from still roared brightly in the horizon, reminding her of her failure as that of a kitsune. Look forward and not backward, for their white eyes will only burn with more hatred.

Grating winds blew each individual hair on the vixen's back as she heard a familiar language being spoken in the distance behind her in a deafening tone. Νέοι αλεπού, που φαίνεται να έχει εξαντληθεί από ότι χρησιμοποίησε όλη την ενέργειά σας. Τερματίστε το παιχνίδι μας για να κυνηγήσουν και να αποδεχθεί τη μοίρα σας. Young fox, which seems to be exhausted from having used all your energy. Shut our game to hunt and accept your fate. Small beady pupils dilated as she skidded to a halt when the field of grass ended and the ground shook with each mighty step the coming beast behind her took. Her irregular and ragged breaths made themselves evident as the vixen reluctantly began pivoting on her paws just enough for her eyes to be met with abnormally white pupils peering defiantly at her. It was here.

The beasts were incredibly ugly with their large tusks for lower teeth and loincloths of tattered and bloody tiger's hide. Their skin, colored in the brightest color of crimson from both deformity and blood of innocent citizens within the village. For the first time in over 200 years for her, fear was something she felt strong as she side stepped and began backing up to the nearest tree. Her actions earned a sinister smile from the single beast as it noticed the vixen lowering her ears in a last defense mechanism, her weight balancing out on each paw individually for a decent fight or flight tactic. A loud and guttural snarl made itself audible from the small vixen as she bared her teeth threateningly at the crimson creature as it stepped from the grass, bearing it's kanabō with confidence from the last bloodshed it had induced. It spoke with malice as it cornered the last Kitsune messenger. Ελάτε πιο κοντά μικρή αλεπού, ο θάνατος σου θα είναι μόνο μια στιγμή. Come closer little fox, your death will only be a moment.

With the creature's intimidating and daunting words in mind, the white fox only realized how burned out she actually was. Her lungs were on fire from the large breaths she was forced to take from running for such a long time, while her muscles began giving out from the large strain she had put upon them. Attempting to use her fading magic to convince the creature to give up the pursuit, it resisted the kitsune's magic and continued to slowly advance with its large spike driven club. She continued to back away with fear wrapping tightly around her chest as she stood her ground, not daring to show the creature any weakness or fears. The vixen's pupils quickly dilated as they fixated on the abnormally large kanabō that had been hoisted up to the heavens above before a sharp breath got caught in her throat as the beast struck the ground in front of her. The ground split and she rolled to her right, quickly gathering her bearing in order to get back to her feet before she looked up to see the demon now up close, giving another brutal swing. This was it, she couldn't fight, or dodge the beast's attack anymore. This was her end now. Forgive us Inari, and especially me.

THUCK

An abnormally thick gust of forceful winds grazed momentarily past the vixen's body as her haunches trembled in pain of having held her body up for so long, but she kept her eyes shut. She was nervous; there was no doubt of that. Even before the beast had struck down its kanabō in front of her closed eyes, she had a fear of witnessing that of her own failures. However, upon waiting the situation out for a few more seconds, there was no pain, meaning there needed to be answers to the lack of it. With extreme reluctance, the vixen opened her eyes slowly only to see a young female standing a few feet from her position. Her confident stance was highlighted by her glimmering brunette hair as the rays of the evening sunlight bathed the area in warmth. The green field lit up as the female shot her arm away from her side and caused the kanabō, and it's master to take heavy staggering steps back in sheer shock of the sudden appearance of another being. The vixen observed the girl as she realized what she was, and so did the beast. A mortal.

The once sadistic and prideful grin that had been plastered on the creature's face immediately vanished as it furrowed its eyebrows and staggered to a standstill. Tension within the surrounding area was nearly smothering the vixen as the fires from behind them caught her attention as they roared over in the horizon when suddenly the beast prepared itself for another attack on the duo. From a distance, a small knife glimmered from the field as it shot into the beast's right arm that held the large kanabō, causing the beast to roar in pain and anger as it dropped its weapon to the ground and looked over to its shoulder. Embedded deep into the flesh burned was a now blood covered kunai, it's master stepping from the field with a smirk as he pushed his small glasses up his nose and gathered their attention. "I'm very proud of you Ruby, but I did tell you to wait in the fields for this one. Although it seems this one might have issues understanding the order of our connected towns, and we do not take kindly to such matters. But we do have manners, so forgive my daughter. She's keen to fight for what's right."

Snarling immediately in a raspy tone, the beast peered a moment longer at it's disintegrating skin before it used it's left hand to forcibly jerk the kunai from its flesh before roaring more as the weapon burnt its palms. Ανάθεμα και Miko και Γκέκη. Θα κάνουμε σίγουρα θα μετανιώσετε επιλογές σας. Damn and Miko and Geki. We will definitely make you regret your choice.

Cerulean irises peered apprehensively at the female turning towards her with a caring smile, her gray eyes offering security as she darted over to her and wrapped her arms around the vixen's upper body. The sound of branches breaking upon impact with the ground quickly snapped the vixen out of her trace as the beast had tried punching down on the two once more. Her lower legs dangled limply as the brunette sprinted with all her might in between the creature's legs before rolling as it stomped down towards its left. "I told you I had it under control dad! I'm not bad at using the charms like you! Just trust me next time okay?! I wasn't gonna use this spirit as bait!"

Silently, the man with silver hair sighed before he stood up tall to watch as his daughter crouched down to a stop behind the creature's leg before sealing a charm on the back thigh, immediately rolling back. The beast grunted and obediently dropped to its knee in which the charm was on before both the vixen and Miko scattered off towards the elder man. "Ruby, dear. I've told you many times that you never think it's finished until the evil spirits stop breathing. I say this for exactly…" With the charm restraining the beast for a short moment, the girl carrying the white fox in her arms was able to gain distance away from the Oni before the charm had the misfortune of burning into ash which then broke the seal. The irritated creature staggered back to its feet and stood to its full height, the shadow on the ground increasing in size as the distorted darkness lumbered over the two females.

The Kitsune looked up at the brunette, who she figured was Ruby, as the human continued to cradle the tired and beaten fox in her arms. Meanwhile, the warm scent of medicinal herbs clinging to the Miko's haori found its way to the Kitsune's nose, and she slowly relaxed in the comforting hold provided by the brunette, causing her to relax in the warmth of her arms involuntarily. Exhaustion seeped into her muscles as the sensation of safety flooded her mind. The world around the fragile looking fox kept moving forward as she drifted in and out of a deep sleep, the brunette noticing the battered and bloody fox eventually sleeping in her arms.

Forceful and harsh breaths from the ungraceful creature momentarily became the only source of noise around the trio as it staggered unnaturally towards them, still bearing its confidence and reassurance of an easy win. After all, most mortals opposed no significant threat towards their rebirth and race, but with its skin burnt and blazed, cockiness was becoming its blindness. A vicious snarl pressed forth through its throat as its feet kicked up soot and dirt with each uncanny step it took, causing the brunette to impulsively cling tighter to the unconscious spirit in a gentle manner to ensure that she wouldn't wake it up once more to such conditions. The creature dug its clawed foot into the abused earth to gain traction as it prepared to carry through with the intention of charging at the trio, the brunette becoming restless at her position next to her father as she watched the oni. Shifting her feet under her nervously, she tightened her protective hold around the fox, pulling her closer to her chest with a motion careful enough to prevent alarming the resting creature. She glanced at her father as he stepped forward with obvious and dangerous intentions. The single Oni made a fatal mistake in treating the threat that Ruby's father posed as simply a fly-like burden.

Resent betrayed clearly within the white eyes as they dilated in anger of the elder man's audacity to step forwards in challenge to it before it forced out an ear piercing laughter. It was confident, but couldn't help but feel minorly intimidated by the man's aura as no mortal could ever confidently step up against that of a demon. It was outrageous, and suspicions were soon turned into real time fear as the silver haired man shouted unintelligible scriptures with confidence and elegance, his time within his working clearly showing as the kunai lit into bright golden flames. The ground shook violently underneath the trio's feet as golden daggers pierced from the ground underneath the creature's feet, impaling through its entire body until the reaction of its skin beginning to engulf in flames was the only thing that could be seen anymore. Flames brighter and holier than that of the flames igniting back over the horizon quickly raised to the sky before the ear piercing scream of the beast slowly became drowned.

Gray eyes peered in astonishment at the silver haired man as he watched the flames crackle and roar over the beast's new imprisonment before he suddenly turned to face her and the two-tailed deity. She noticed a warm hearted smile forming slightly on the corner of the man's lips before he shuffled towards her, only to reach out his hand and gently ruffle the younger girl's hair as the vixen stirred in her sleep. "Your old man just worries about you, dear. You're still incredibly young, and you've learned so much, but you're only 6, you should enjoy your time before taking on the family heritage. But next time, I'll try to listen too. I guess you noticed we had a special god on our side before I did." Chuckling softly to herself, the brunette nodded her head before standing up as tall as she could to her father. "But now we will have to appease for our mistake and fix the issue with gods. That is the daughter of the Schnee messengers. The Kitsunes. Divine followers of Inari itself. Neither man or woman. You will learn more of them in your boarding school this year…"

The next day.

Twin-tails stirred restlessly from behind the vixen's bruised and battered body as her perception of sound was slowly returning to her. Her nightmares were too much to bear as they became more vivid, the faces of her family and those who once visited her shrine flashing for what felt to be an eternity in front of her face. Was she dead too now? There was only one way to find the answers to her own questions, and even if she didn't want to learn the truth. She would eventually.

The vixen reluctantly opened her eyes a few times, wincing impulsively when the blurry room was met with the brightening light hanging above her. She felt sick, yet comfortable, as her paws kneaded beneath her body abstractedly in an attempt to familiarize herself with what she had been laid on. Her cerulean colored eyes peered in a daze at the room while her memories bit by bit pieced themselves together. However, upon remembering that of the beast back in the city, she immediately forced herself to rise to her full height on the pillow but paused only to let out a pathetic whimper when pain shot up her legs.

She momentarily paused and took a few seconds to gather her bearings before sparing a glance to her hind leg where the pain mostly came from before scowling. Blood seeped through the bandaging that was firmly wrapped around her back right leg and coated her fur in crimson stains. Her vision blotched in and out as she tensed up and raised her tails, blazing fire forging from the tips as she aimed for the window when the sound of a bird chirping caught her off guard. Where am I? I don't recall coming here and from the looks of my legs. That was no dream. The vixen clenched down her jaw as she padded off of the soft pillow she had been laid on and over towards the window where the creature watched her. You, Tengu. I see through your disguise. Tease me not, where are we? The bird outstretched its black wings before taking a few small steps further onto the window sill before a raspy laugh was heard.

I do not trust your presence around these humans, Kitsune. I have lived on these lands longer than you have, I take no orders from the likes of tricksters like you. A menacing snarl forced it's way from the vixen's throat as she listened impatiently to the crow as it mocked her and belittled her stay. But as to where we are, we are at the Rose Shrine. Home to both Ozpin, and Ruby and many worshipers. Call it a safe haven if you will Kitsune. The vixen scowled immediately upon learning of her whereabouts as she had heard stories from those within her own village of the Rose shrine but never tended to pay heed to any of the gossipers. She fully intended on scurrying off, as she had mustered up enough strength to push down on her hind legs until her paws her pressed against the wall. Her tails twitched in focus as she prepared herself to jump up to the window and escape from the new area in a lack of interest for anywhere but her own village.

Her chest had tightened at the painful thought of the ravaged village before she mustered up the strength to give a half-leap forward, barely managing to get half of her body on the window sill before she paused with her claws digging into the wood to hold her in place. The intention of escaping quickly disappeared when the sound of the door sliding open rung out behind the mid-escaping fox. Startled, she lost her claw-hold on the window's edge and came crashing to the floor as long claw marks were left in the wood. The kitsune's fall had startled the crow into flight while it scrambled away from the window sill. The white furred creature found her feet and looked up to meet the same innocent gray eyes from the brunette who had shown up on the battlefield the night before.

The duo wordlessly maintained intent eye contact with each other before the Miko cautiously adjusted her grip on the silver tray in her hands, clueless of how to proceed with the moment. The awkwardness was apparent in the room as the vixen stood in her typical prideful stance when noticing the advantage she had upon the brunette who seemed unsettled when another voice popped up. "Ruby Rose, running off from your training at an hour like..this.." A familiar voice softly echoed from down the hallway as it steadily closed in on the pair until the vixen noticed the silver-haired man walking up carefully behind the younger mortal's back and placing his hand on her head with a sigh. "You've taken quite the interest in this spirit, Ruby. But regardless, you need to be more cautious with your actions around any form of Yōkai, Ruby dear. We must treat them all with the utmost respect and privacy when required for it brings good luck essentially to our shrine sometimes. Next time you must knock before you enter the room occupied by our dear Kitsune, and don't run off from your teachers."

Ruby nervously shifted her weight as she glanced down at the floor momentarily before looking back up at the vixen, an apologetic expression betraying clearly. "I'm sorry for barging in and running off from training. I just wanted to clean her wound before going to train. I'm a worrier." The awkward apology hung in the otherwise silent atmosphere before she raised the tray with a bowl of warm water and a few folded rags sitting on top to simply show to the fox that her intentions were pure. However, immediately upon seeing the bucket, the wary vixen backtracked with a warning snarl before noticing the taller man gently nudging the smaller girl aside before he bowed to the kitsune.

Meeting her eyes out of respect, the man spoke up. "I apologize. My daughter had only the best intentions in her actionss so you will have to forgive her if she spoke or acted out of turn. She is merely 6 years of age and training to become a Miko of this shrine. I understand that this is a very rough time for you, seeing as you lost all host, family, and your shrine to the Oni. I am here to make a deal with you though kitsune, but you will have to do your best to work with us and our little shrine. I know for a fact it is better than allowing you to turn away from the life of a zenko." Lowering her haunches to sit delicately on the wooden floor, the Kitsune looked up at the man as her ears were both attentive to his words and relaxed. She brushed both of her fluffy tails over her small paws to curl up into a smaller area on the floor before the man offered a small bowl of room temperature milk to the vixen. He lowered it a small distance away from the vixen as if not to startle her or seem threatening in any way.

Standing back to his full height, the older man paused as he searched for the words to give another suggestion as not to offend the female deity. "You see, our small village comprises of peace and reliability upon each other, and it has stayed that way for many centuries. We as shrine protectors makes all sacrifices to ensure that. I've noticed without your host nor shrine you may stray from the zenko lifestyle, so in replacement, we offer my daughter as your host in a few years in return for no sly tricks upon our village. " He subtly bowed his head in respect for the kitsune as the vixen made a soft noise in her throat. She gracefully stood off of her haunches and stepped forward to take a lap of the milk, thankful for the gesture as she flicked the end of her tails. The corners of the male's lips tugged into a small smile when he saw that she decided to take some of the milk, then glanced at his daughter as if a cue to continue the interaction with the deity. "We wish to keep you alive rather than banished. Oni will be looking for you."

Intellectual brown irises peered expectantly down upon his daughter as she took a moment to glance in his direction then back to the vixen with a frantic bow, nearly causing the items on the tray to tip forward. The vixen withdrew momentarily from the milk displayed in front of her when the abrupt action startled her before she threateningly raised her hackles with pinned back ears. The female was much more eccentric than that of the elder man in whom the vixen felt a small bit of first impressions respect, while the female was noted to be wary of. "I-Uh, I think we can, or could if we put our effort into it, get along pretty neatly since as a Miko in training, I can be very useful when it comes to spiritual things. I- I mean, I'm pretty sure it'd help with giving me more experience as a Miko if I could assist you with the host issue. I don't mind it." An expression of deadpan remained plastered on the vixen's face as she glanced over at the silver man in search of answers of why she was being offered a new host, however, upon receiving no look of answers, she grunted and resumed lapping thirstily at the milk. Her decision temporarily made until she herself could learn escape routes back to her village.

Watching the interaction between the young Miko and the kitsune, Ruby's father directed his attention back to the kitsune before bowing deeply. "Well, this is no longer involving me, so I'll leave you two to talk about the settlement with the village. Show respect, Ruby." The male gave his daughter an encouraging smile as he glanced in her direction before stepping out of the room, shutting the sliding door with a soft tap against the wood frame. Meanwhile, the white fox gave a few more laps at the milk before she smoothly looked up at Ruby, patiently waiting for the nervous human girl to speak up.

Cerulean irises remained focused upon the brunette as she had not looked up from her feet, only solemnly standing still while balling up the fabric of her haori nervously in her hand before she spoke up hesitantly. "I apologize for acting out on impulses, I just. After my father further explained what his group and we witnessed back at the Higashi village, I couldn't help but feel like maybe I could help you. It's our fault we didn't make it to your village in time when receiving the help message from your shrine. If I had just listened to father and not… lost my temper we could have saved your home, your family, your village and those in it. If I hadn't been so self-centered… You could have had a place to return to and not have to settle for someone such as me." The young girl brought her haori sleeve up to her face to quickly wipe away any evidence of tears appearing in her eyes.

Tension immediately formed in the room between the duo as the vixen came to a halt when processing what the brunette was trying to choke out. Nobody liked to be the bearer of bad news, and from the sounds of it from the brunette, as she desperately tried stifling the hiccups and sniffles, she was feeling guilty about it too. It shocked the vixen, as no child she had come across of 200 hundred years understood the meaning of life and death when it danced openly with the possibilities of another plain of existence. She had no reason to cry over such issues that never involved her, yet there she was, an occasional tear streaming down her porcelain cheek as she tried to remain calm. "We-there was no survivors from the oni's attack by the time my father and his group arrived at the village. The oni tarnished the building and shrine and the people.." The brunette when silent as a familiar look of emptiness remained plastered on her face.

Inari's future legacy was brutally forced to a close for another few hundred years until either another messenger of the god was made, or created. But this was not how the legacy of the Schnee's for Inari was destined to end, even if her family now rested beside Inari himself in the spirit realm where they themselves remained. Thoughts about Inari and her family roamed her mind freely as the fox watched the brunette occasionally sniffle while it was obvious that the young girl's mind was reenacting the events in her mind once again as well. The perturbed kitsune took a hesitant step towards the girl, still restrained by the bandage on her hind leg, the slightest friction of the bandage over the wound causing the fox to wince.

Grabbing the large and plush pillow for the vixen to lay on, she gently slid it on the floor over to the injured creature before wiping away the tears that threatened to spill. Ruby noticed the hesitant step of the fox and merely wanted to help, motioning towards the makeshift yet comfortable resting spot. "Here, lay down and rest. You shouldn't move that leg too much since you're still injured. You might strain it above its current ability otherwise." The young girl spoke without any question or hesitation, for she had trained in the medical arts of a Miko since she was even younger. The vixen chose to listen to the Miko's advice and stepped on the pillow awkwardly with her wrapped leg, and simply sat and looked at the brunette while her two tails were consciously pulled over her front paws to serve as a source of warmth and comfort.

With a bow of her head, it came to realization that the brunette made the mistake of giving the deity an order. A hasty apology was forced from her mouth in hopes the kitsune would forgive her. "Please forgive me; I did not mean to give you orders, it is merely a habit to look out for the well-being of others. You must be in mourning, I deeply apologize." Ruby's tone became weak as she had got stuck on the fact that both she and her father were unable to get to the village in time to stop the Oni before the town became ruins. Ruby raised her head to see the fox studying her with a curious tilt of her head, but the ice blue eyes of the beautiful creature were still dulled with sadness.

The angle of the kitsune's head caused a question to pop into the brunette's mind. "Can you speak..? The end of her sentence was drawn out and hesitant to avoid offending the female as her gray eyes locked on the powerful vixen's cerulean ires. The vixen opened her jaw slightly to give a soft yip, the playful act easing the tension in the room. "No, no. With words?" The amused Miko lit up as her curiosity and yearn to learn about the kitsune grew, her curiousness obvious to the white fox. "I mean, of course, you can, you're a kitsune. I meant to ask if you would say something?" Momentarily mumbling to herself, the young girl looked at her hands fiddling with her long sleeves and then back at the kitsune with a smile.

The white fox had impulsively twitched her tails as she silently debated on whether or not she should actually communicate with the female Miko. She was reluctant in speaking, but the compassionate words and looks she had already gotten from the child had sent her feeling obligated to at least give her something back. In an odd way, both the Miko and the vixen were able to bond over the accident that took place the day before, despite the situation not being the best thing to bond over. They both unconsciously felt responsible for the disaster the night before, and it acted as a start to an icebreaker for the two.

No god or man could have predicted or ceased the attack of Oni in our village human. It was... On our behalf, this happened now. We as spirits failed to serve those who offered us their prayers of security and messages of our God. An immediate expression of integrity and remorse was evident from the vixen's change of tone to both she and the child as her eyes lingered in the direction of the window, contemplating the best choice of words to tell her story to the child. Images of the battle before vividly still looming over her mind as she adjusted her hind legs beneath her on the pillow before her mind steadily forgot the presence of the Miko as a time before crossed her mind. Their trust, so enduring that it was there at a time not even I was there. Cherish-able regardless, for we served the village for as long as our generations could; when even in the end? Their trust was misplaced and ruined. Rapid patterns of her heart thumped with each image of smiling faces she had grown accustomed to before the eventually vanished from though as if they were never there, to begin with.

Her ears were filled with the short laughs of innocent youth as time progressed until the attack and replaced the area with pleads for help. The village she learned many secrets of was now never going to return to its original state, and while she might not have been as well loved as the youngest kitsune, she adored those who visited the shrine. We were told to watch them from afar and not to interact physically much with the beings. We heard many stories from those who visited our host's shrine and saw many varieties of humans. Big, small, skinny, and big. It felt as if it would be easier for her to dwell on the past rather than carry on towards the future alone, for she had 200 years worth of memories in just that of a blink of an eye. Humans are far too fragile to build anything with anymore. So the gods denied nothing further than messages for interaction.

Her heart beat as if it would burst out of her chest at any second as she closed her eyes and laid her head down on her front paws. The gods were right, and so was my father. I guess this is my form of punishment for not accepting we are to bear our gifts alone. The vixen quieted down as the room fell silent immediately after she finished speaking and yet she felt as if the human was judging her for even her mistakes now, and for once, she felt the human had the right to. She forced a sigh from her throat in an attempt to relieve the anxious feeling swelling in her chest as the human remained silent, neither giving any indications of her position, or emotions about the story until she suddenly began shuffling. A warm sensation of palm gently resting in between her ears caught the vixen off guard as she tensed up as the fur on her back rose.

"My father use to read me bedtime stories when I was little of gods who carried their doings on this earth alone. Those humans and gods were only to interact to protect the earth, but I never really agreed with how the stories went along. Nobody deserves to bear things alone, even if they're god, spirit, or human. You lost your family, your home, your shrine, your past. Depending on someone during this is okay. It's not easy to deal with." The young Miko's voice trailed off as the kind, and gentle words had reached the vixen, her ears twitching with the unfamiliar touch of the child stroking her thick white fur.

The affection from the brunette eventually caused the Kitsune to relax under the warm pressure of the young Miko's hand. "I know how it is to be alone. You don't have to deal with it alone like so many others have to. I suggested an actual conversation because I thought maybe you would want to..talk about it with me. My job as a Miko is to keep the peace within our town so I will not allow spirits and gods to suffer like this. Although it is a small myth to say that telling your troubles to a stranger can help with easing your mind." An uneasy tail sway from the fox came to a halt as she forced her eyes open in minor shock that such a young human could grasp the concept of such things. Her words managed to send the vixen into lifting her head from her resting place and redirecting her attention to the Miko, whose expression seemed still troubled by problems that were completely unrelated to her.

The uneasy beat of the vixen's heart steadily calmed down for the first time in the past two days as the child smiled down at her, causing a warm sensation to waver over her. Long ago, there was a god who fell for a mortal. Their love end tragically, and ours was thought to be no different from theirs. But this is my story of how even ancient tales and rules of mortals, spirits, and gods were broken. We were no doubt scandalous in the beginning, to start a tale of hell upon earth, and even though that is true. I don't my regret choice. I don't regret letting her in. Happiness? Between a deity and a Miko? It's possible for all, but this is where we begin our promise for each other return home someday together.

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Welcome to Promise Returnal, a new fiction by yours truly. Pure. I have decided that having a new story out of the three that are all somewhat old would be a good change of pace, and this is what it resulted in. I noticed Weiss fits the personality and looks of that of kitsunes and can really make sense with her since most people make her a fox Faunus. But has anyone stopped and considered an actual fox Weiss? This is merely a prologue, so there will always be unanswered questions about the time period it starts at or begins at for those are later answered. I once again tried my hardest to portray a proper Kitsune, and while I did leave some things out such as her life stone essentially, that will be cleared up later.

This is, however, a memory is the one thing I will state before now moving onto the quotes to end this chapter on.

Our uniqueness makes us special, makes perception valuable- but it can also make us lonely. This loneliness is different from being 'alone': You can be lonely even surrounded by people. The feeling I'm talking about stems from the truth of who we are. I experienced this acutely at an early age. -By Amy Tan

"Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships." – STEPHEN R. COVEY

This was a story created by both me and my girlfriend so I hope you all look forward to the next chapter and enjoy your day or night. Until the next chapter guys.

Pure out

Ash respectfully out